2000
#147,095
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 103
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Moderski
A Polish surname derived from the word "modern" and possibly meaning someone fashionable or modern.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Moderski. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Moderski surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Moderski in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Moderski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Moderski
The surname Moderski is of Polish origin, tracing its roots back to the 15th century. It is believed to have originated from the Polish word "moder," meaning "fashionable" or "stylish." This surname was likely given to individuals who were considered well-dressed or had an eye for fashion during that time period.
The earliest recorded examples of the surname Moderski can be found in historical documents from the region of Greater Poland, specifically in the towns of Poznań and Gniezno. These records date back to the late 15th and early 16th centuries, indicating that the name was already established by that time.
One notable historical reference to the surname Moderski is in the "Metryka Koronna," a collection of administrative records from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. This document, dating back to the 16th century, mentions a nobleman named Jan Moderski, who held lands in the Kalisz region.
In the 17th century, the name Moderski appeared in church records from the town of Leszno, where a family of that name was prominent among the local gentry. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Marcin Moderski, born in 1625, who served as a councilman in Leszno.
Over the centuries, the Moderski surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such example is Władysław Moderski, a Polish military officer who fought in the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded the prestigious Virtuti Militari medal in 1809 for his bravery in battle.
Another prominent figure was Mieczysław Moderski, a Polish lawyer and politician born in 1887. He served as a member of the Polish Parliament and played a significant role in shaping the country's legal system during the interwar period.
In the field of art, Janusz Moderski, born in 1935, gained recognition as a renowned Polish sculptor and painter. His works have been exhibited in galleries and museums across Europe and are part of several prestigious collections.
While the surname Moderski may not be as common today as it once was, it holds a rich historical significance, with its origins deeply rooted in the culture and traditions of Poland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Moderski
Among Census respondents with the surname Moderski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Moderski bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Moderski surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.5% · 104
- Hispanic or Latino4.5% · 5
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Moderski
Moderski appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#153,769
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
+3 bearers (+2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,674 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
+4 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 4,323 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #147,095 | 103 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #153,769 | 106 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.9%) | Down 6,674 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.8%) | Up 4,323 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Moderski surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #153,769 | #149,446 | 2.8% |
| Count | 106 | 110 | 3.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Moderski bearers went from 106 to 110 (+3.8% change). The surname moved up 4,323 positions in the national ranking, going from #153,769 to #149,446.
FAQ
Moderski surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Moderski?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Moderski. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Moderski?
Moderski ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Moderski. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Moderski.
Has Moderski become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Moderski went from 106 recorded bearers to 110. That is an increase of 4 (+3.8%). In the national ranking it rose from #153,769 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Moderski?
Among Census respondents with the surname Moderski, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (4.5%) and Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Moderski in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.5% (104 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Moderski appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.5%), Hispanic (4.5%), Asian/Pacific Islander (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Moderski (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Moderski mean?
A Polish surname derived from the word "modern" and possibly meaning someone fashionable or modern. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Moderski (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Moderski?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.